Members of “southern espionage ring” arrested in Darfur
May 3, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – Security authorities in South Darfur State of western Sudan said on Thursday they arrested members of a spy network affiliated to the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in neighboring South Sudan.
According to security sources in the state’s provincial capital, Nyala, three South Sudanese nationals including a female PhD-holder were taken into custody on charges of spying for the SPLM and Darfur rebel groups.
The sources said that the suspects were working in Darfur for a local and international aid groups funded by a Europe-based Church relief organization.
They added that initial investigations revealed that the suspects are in possession of reports containing detailed information on the movement of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their weapons.
Furthermore, the sources said that the authorities obtained contents of e-mails in which the suspects exchanged information about the International Criminal Court (ICC), the status of disputed regions between Sudan and South Sudan as well as coordination between the government of South Sudan and Darfur rebel groups.
Sudan Tribune understands that the case is related to Khartoum’s shutdown on 25 April of the offices of SUDAN AID and Sudan Council of Churches (SCC) in Nyala. Three aid workers from South Sudan were arrested in that process.
SUDAN AID and SCC are partners of the UK-based Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) and the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA).
More than a dozen aid group were expelled from Darfur in March 2009 after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the region.
Khartoum accused the expelled groups of spying for the Hague-based tribunal.
(ST)